The effects of room design on computer-supported collaborative learning in a multi-touch classroom.

While research indicates that technology can be useful for supporting learning and collaboration, there is still relatively little uptake or widespread implementation of these technologies in classrooms. In this paper, we explore one aspect of the development of a multi-touch classroom, looking at two different designs of the classroom environment to explore how classroom layout may influence group interaction and learning. Three classes of students working in groups of four were taught in the traditional forward-facing room condition, while three classes worked in a centered room condition. Our results indicate that while the outcomes on tasks were similar across conditions, groups engaged in more talk (but not more off-task talk) in a centered room layout, than in a traditional forward-facing room. These results suggest that the use of technology in the classroom may be influenced by the location of the technology, both in terms of the learning outcomes and the interaction behaviors of students. The findings highlight the importance of considering the learning environment when designing technology to support learning, and ensuring that integration of technology into formal learning environments is done with attention to how the technology may disrupt, or contribute to, the classroom interaction practices

Experimental phase diagram of moving vortices

In the mixed state of type II superconductors, vortices penetrate the sample and form a correlated system due to the screening of supercurrents around them. Interestingly, we can study this correlated system as a function of density and driving force. The density, for instance, is controlled by the magnetic field, B, whereas a current density j acts as a driving force F=jxB on all vortices. The free motion of vortices is inhibited by the presence of an underlying potential, which tends to pin the vortices. Hence, to minimize the pinning strength we studied a superconducting glass in which the depinning current is 10 to 1000 times smaller than in previous studies, which enables us to map out the complete phase diagram in this new regime. The diagram is obtained as a function of B, driving current and temperature and led a remarkable set of new results, which includes a huge peak effect, an additional reentrant depinning phase and a driving force induced pinning phase.Comment: 4 page

The gatekeeper: individual differences are key in the chain from perception to behaviour

A basic assumption in mainstream social cognition is that the path from perception to behaviour is often automatic and direct, as supported for example by several experimental studies showing that priming can lead directly to a congruent behaviour without any need of conscious awareness of the process. However, we argue that the priming of a goal or an object activates individual differences in automatic evaluations at the associative level that in turn are the key predictors of action (gatekeeper model). A study (n = 90) on the American stereotype is presented to support the model. The results show that individual differences of the American stereotype as assessed with the IAT predicts a relevant action (essay evaluation) but only under condition of priming. Broader implications for predictive validity of implicit measures are also discussed

Effects of rotation on coolant passage heat transfer. Volume 1: Coolant passages with smooth walls

An experimental program was conducted to investigate heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of rotating multipass passages, for configurations and dimensions typical of modern turbine blades. The immediate objective was the generation of a data base of heat transfer and pressure loss data required to develop heat transfer correlations and to assess computational fluid dynamic techniques for rotating coolant passages. Experiments were conducted in a smooth wall large scale heat transfer model

Longitudinal Changes of Breakfast and Physical Activity Behaviors of Children in 5th Grade

Please refer to the pdf version of the abstract located adjacent to the title

Changes in Health Behaviors of Students During Summer Break Following a Year-Long School Health Intervention

Please refer to the pdf version of the abstract located adjacent to the title

From Prediction to Explanation: Reconceptualizing and Extending the Perceived Characteristics of Innovating

Individual adoption and use of technology remains a critical concern for both managers and professionals. Despite the widespread integration of technology into work and organizations, there remain many opportunities for individuals to either extend or limit their use of IT at work. This paper extends work on the Perceived Characteristics of Innovating (PCI), as defined by Moore and Benbasat in 1991. Building on studies over the past ten years as well as on additional empirical research, we provide two contributions ?a reconceptualization and refinement of the PCI constructs, and an extended theoretical model of their influence on users?behavior. The construct refinements aim to provide greater theoretical clarity and to address challenges in the measurement of the constructs. The extended theoretical model provides a more complete picture of the influence of the PCIs, by considering the complex web of relationships among them in addition to their potential direct effects on usage

Mixed state discrimination using optimal control

We present theory and experiment for the task of discriminating two nonorthogonal states, given multiple copies. We implement several local measurement schemes, on both pure states and states mixed by depolarizing noise. We find that schemes which are optimal (or have optimal scaling) without noise perform worse with noise than simply repeating the optimal single-copy measurement. Applying optimal control theory, we derive the globally optimal local measurement strategy, which outperforms all other local schemes, and experimentally implement it for various levels of noise.Comment: Corrected ref 1 date; 4 pages & 4 figures + 2 pages & 3 figures supplementary materia

Assessment of body composition by air-displacement plethysmography: influence of body temperature and moisture

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of body temperature and moisture on body fat (%fat), volume and density by air-displacement plethysmography (BOD POD). METHODS: %fat, body volume and density by the BOD POD before (BOD POD(BH)) and immediately following hydrostatic weighing (BOD POD(FH)) were performed in 32 healthy females (age (yr) 33 ± 11, weight (kg) 64 ± 14, height (cm) 167 ± 7). Body temperature and moisture were measured prior to BOD POD(BH )and prior to BOD POD(FH )with body moisture defined as the difference in body weight (kg) between the BOD POD(BH )and BOD POD(FH )measurements. RESULTS: BOD POD(FH )%fat (27.1%) and body volume (61.5 L) were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.001) and body density (1.0379 g/cm(3)) significantly higher (P ≤ 0.001) than BOD POD(BH )%fat (28.9%), body volume (61.7 L), and body density (1.0341 g/cm(3)). A significant increase in body temperature (~0.6°C; P ≤ 0.001) and body moisture (0.08 kg; P ≤ 0.01) were observed between BOD POD(BH )and BOD POD(FH). Body surface area was positively associated with the difference in %fat independent of changes in body temperature and moisture, r = 0.30, P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate for the first time that increases in body heat and moisture result in an underestimation of body fat when using the BOD POD, however, the precise mechanism remains unidentified